Boxcar opening closure



' July 2, 1957 B. H. FORD ET AL BOXCAR OPENING CLOSURE Filed May 1l,1955 Patented July 2, 1957 BOXCAR OPENING CLOSURE Barton H. Ford, Omaha,Nebr., and Michael I. Ford, Wheaton, lll.

Application May 11, 1955, Serial No. 507,523

6 Claims. (Cl. 1611-368) This invention relates to a boxcar openingclosure, and is particularly useful in connection with grain doors orretainer doors, etc., employed with boxcars and the like.

In the fabrication of disposable or temporary closures for boxcaropenings, such as retainer doors, grain doors, etc., it is common toemploy a sheet material or board material in combination with steelstraps. Where the bulk goods is of such a character as to requiresampling by an inspector, etc., a pry-board or protector board isapplied at the bottom of the temporary door, and usually a board is alsosecured across the top portion of the door to enable a person to climbout of or into the car without damaging the door. Also, in order toprotect the board or paper structure, it is common to apply battensalong the sides of the door and over the frame beams of the door. Evenwith this protection, it is sometimes found that the door edges becomeloose and grain works its way about the door edges and escapes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a door closurestructure of a lightweight and disposable type which can be effectivelysecured across the door opening and to the door frame without requiringthe use of battens and while at the same time providing a strongersecuring means about. the door edges to prevent the escape of grain. Afurther object is to provide effective means for supporting a pry-boardand a top board as a part of the door structure. A still further objectis to provide an improved temporary door structure which may readily beplaced in position and secured in a minimum of time for effectivelyclosing a boxcar opening against the outflow of grain and other bulkmaterial. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as thespecification proceeds.

The invention is shown, in an illustrative embodiment, by theaccompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a doorclosure embodying our invention; Fig. 2, an enlarged vertical sectionalview, the section being taken as indicated at line 2 2 of Fig. l; andFig. 3, an enlarged sectional detail view, the section being taken asindicated at line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the illustration given, designates a portion of a boxcar, or likevehicle, having a door frame 11 consisting of side rails resting uponthe car oor 12. To the side rails are secured metal straps 13, whichextend in spaced relation across the door opening between the beams 11.On the inner side of the spaced straps 13 extends a web or board member14 which, in the illustration given, consists of a corrugated paperboard. The end of the board is scored, and the end portion folded uponitself to form a border 15 of double thickness, and `about the borderextends the end portions 16 of the metal straps 13. Nails 17, or othersecuring means, extend through the overlapping strap portions and intothe beams 11, as illustrated more clearly in Fig. 3. It will beunderstood that the straps 13 may be equipped with spaced perforationswhich, in the overlapping portions illustrated in Fig. 3, are inalignment so that a nail 17 will extend through the aligned openings, Byfolding over the strap portion 16 about the edge portions of the board14, we find that the battens or lath strips heretofore employed may beomitted, while at the same time a protective gripping of the edgeportions of the board is brought about, providing a reinforcing whichprevents bending or opening of the board for the escape of grain. Thestraps 13, which are preferably formed of spring band steel, provide, atthe edges where the short portion 16 is turned into the overlappingposition shown, a relatively stiff brace for the edge portion of theboard, and when the nails 17 are driven into the beams 11, they causethe overlapping portion 16 to compress a relatively Wide area of theboard 14 toward the beam structure 11 and thus to provide an effectiveseal against the escape of grain about the edges of the board. Further,the structure provides a sturdier support for the metal strapsthemselves and produces an effective union between the straps and theedges of the board 14.

The bottom of the board 14 extends downwardly and is looped upon itselfat the bottom to form a bottom flap 18. The board is also extendedupwardly at the rear to provide a vertical buffer post 19 and thencedownwardly and between the folded portion of the lower flap 18. Thestructure shown results in a pocket 20, into which may be placed a board21 formed of wood, metal, plastic, or other suitable material, of suchtoughness as to prevent the breaking of the board 14 when a pry-bar isused from outside the car to shift the outer car doors (not shown). Withcertain types of paper board 14 having considerable toughness, it willbe found that the inner insert board 21 can be omitted and the foldedportion 19 may in itself be suicient to provide the protection necessaryin the use of the pry-bar.

We also provide at the top of the door a strip or bar of suicientstrength to support a grain inspector or sampler when the car isvisited, and also to support a workman who, after securing the door onthe inside thereof, climbs out over the top of the door. As shown moreclearly in Fig. 1, the top portion of the board 14 is folded downwardlyupon itself and thence upwardly to form a three-ply top bar or strap 22,the top bar 22 being strengthened by the U-shaped metal strap portions13 and 16 enclosing the end portions of the board 14.

The board structure 14 may be formed not only of corrugated paper board,but also of heavy paper, Wood board, plastic material, and a number ofother web-forming materials which are effective in holding bulk matter.Further, the door, instead of being formed in one piece, as illustratedin the drawing, may be formed in different sections, as illustrated inour Patent 2,599,443, which issued lune 3, 1952.

The bottom iiap 18 of the board 14 lies flat against the floor 12 of thecar and is not attached in any way to the car, because the weight of thebulk material serves to lock it securely against the floor and toprevent the egress of the bulk material.

In actual operation, it is customary to omit the pryboard Z1 when thecommodity or granular material is of such a character that samples neednot be taken. However, when wheat or similar food materials have to besampled by inspectors, etc., at the point of destination and before thecar is unloaded, the pry-board 21 is desirable because it permits thedoor to be opened for such inspection prior to the unloading of the carand after the inspection and sampling, the car may be shifted on thetrack to an unloading point without spillage of grain because thepry-board 21 protects the inner board 14 against injury. Similarly, whenthe car is not to be inspected, the upper board 22 may be omitted. Whenthe car is to be used for the shipment of grain such as wheat, etc., andwhere sampling is necessary, we prefer to employ a protection for theboard 14 against a pry-bar by employing a protective strip 19 with orwithout an insert 21, and similarly to employ a top strap or bar 2,2"

which is sufficient to support the weight of the sampler climbing overthe temporary door.

The straps 13 are preferably secured to the board 14 by any suitablemeans as, for example, striking prong segments 13a from the straps 13and extending them through or into the board 14, as described morefull-y in our copending application, Serial No. 465,253, or by means ofstaples, as shown in our said Patent 2,599,443.

In the operation of the structure, the temporary door, which may consistof the single panel or board 14 reinforced with the metal straps 13anchored thereto at spaced distances, may be placed in position andnails 17 driven through the portions 16 overlapping portions of thestrap 13. The forward portion 16 of the strap 13 provides a stiffeningsupport about the edges of the board which strengthens the top bar orstrap 22 and also the bottom portion enclosing the pry-board 21. Theworkman, after axing the door as described, can climb over the headboard or top board 22 and thus leave the car. The car may then be lledwith grain, cottonseed hulls, soybeans, coal, abrasives, gravel,phosphate rock, and a great variety of bulk commodities. The weight ofthe bulk material holds the bottom flap 18 tightly against the iloor 12to seal the bottom of the door, while the overlapped strap portionsabout the ends of the board secure and reinforce the sides of the board.In the event that wheat and other perishable foodstuffs are beingshipped and samples are to be taken by an inspector, the outside doorsof the car may be opened, using a pry-bar which bears against the outerflap 19 of the door. The inspector may climb over the top or head board22 and take a sample of the grain material and leave the car overY thehead board. Thereafter, when the car has reached the point forunloading, the board 14 may be cut at any point to provide a dischargeopening and the bulk material may be allowed to flow therethrough into areceiving truck or receptacle.

While, in the foregoing specification, we have set forth a specificstructure in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating theinvention, it will be understood that such details may be varied widelyby those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of ourinvention.

We claim:

1. A temporary door for a car opening, comprising a web body equippedwith spaced metal straps, said straps extending around the edges of theweb to provide overlapping front portions adapted to be secured to theframe ofthe door opening, said web having a top folded portion 4providing a head board and having also a forwardlyextending bottom flapportiop and an upwardly-extending rear protective board portion.

2. A temporary door for a car opening, comprising a web body equippedwith spaced metal straps, said straps extending around the edges of theweb to provide overlapping front portions adapted tobe secured to theframe of the door opening, said web having a top folded portionproviding a head board and having also a forwardlyextendingbottom apportion and an upwardly-extending rear protective board portion, saidprotective board portion providing a pocket adapted to receive an insertprotective board.

3. A temporary door for a car opening equipped with a door frame,comprising a web body adapted to extend between the vertical members ofthe door frame, reinforcing straps secured in vertically-spaced relationto the web body to reinforce the same and extending to the edges of theweb body, said straps being formed of metal and at their ends beingfolded with the end portions of the web body to provideinwardly-extending reinforcing ribs about the folded edge, said foldededge providing a vertically-reinforced post lying against the verticalportion of the door frame, and means extending through said posts forsecuring the same to the door frame.

4. The structure of claim 3, in which the web body is formed ofcorrugatedpaper board and in which the straps are secured against theouter side of the corrugated board, the-strap edges being inwardly ofthe corrugated board edge when the same is turned upon itself.

5. A temporary door for a car opening, comprising a web body equippedwith longitudinally-extending reinforcing straps in vertically spacedapart relation, the web body being formed of corrugated board, and thereinforcing straps being secured to the outer surface of the corrugatedboard, said web body at each end thereof adjacent thedoor frame beingturned upon itself to bring said strap end portions upon the inner sideof the door and to form a vertically-reinforced post edge aligned withthe door frame, and means extending through said post portions of thedoor for securing the same to said door frame.

6. The structure of claim 5, in which the web body is provided at itslower end with an inwardly-extending integral flap having the side edgesthereof unfolded but aligned with said vertical post portions of saidweb body.

Ford June 3, 1952 Suess Sept. 21, 1954

